A thorough checklist by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Foundation and MetLife Foundation. Caregivers should review this carefully and implement these suggestions for their elderly loved ones.
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by the American Geriatric Society, Foundation for Health in Aging. Information for the caregiver on understanding the problem, when to get professional help, what you can do to help, carrying out and adjusting your plan, and checking on progress. . . . → Read More: Eldercare At Home: Bone Weakness Home Safety Council finds many homes lack critical safety elements, by SeniorJournal.com. A study by the Home Safety Council found that even though falls are the leading cause of home injury-related death among older adults, critical falls prevention measures . . . → Read More: Many Elderly Caregivers Do Not Know How to Make Homes Fall-Safe by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Makes the point that a major cause of falls is improper footwear and foot problems that it causes, and provides tips for injury prevention. As a caregiver, be sure to see that . . . → Read More: Footwear and Falls Brochure by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. As a caregiver, you can help your elderly loved one do four things to prevent falls: (1) begin a regular exercise program, (2) . . . → Read More: What YOU Can Do to Prevent Falls Sample chapter, excerpt: “Impaired mobility places the patient at risk for skin breakdown, falls, and psychological isolation… Healthcare providers must work together (physicians, nurses, physical therapists, nursing assistants, etc.) to provide range-of motion (ROM) exercises, assistance with ambulation, frequent . . . → Read More: Age-Specific Competencies for Healthcare Providers: Care of the mature Adult (65 Years and Older) by Temple University School of Medicine and Department of Public Health, funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Training manual for the HEROS© (Health, Education, Research Outreach for Seniors) fall . . . → Read More: Heros–Reducing Falls and Serious Injuries Training Program Manual by the American Geriatrics Society, British Geriatrics Society, and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Panel on Falls Prevention. Geared primarily to health care professionals, this medical paper is also instructive for family caregivers. It recommends regular assessment of older . . . → Read More: Guideline for the Prevention of Falls in Older Persons by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Advises not to try to get up too quickly or in the wrong position. Instructs on how to get up. >>View Info by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Comprehensive discussion of nonsurgical treatments, activity and exercise, alternative medicine, and orthotics (casts, splints, etc.), as well as surgical treatments for each of the different parts of the body where a fracture . . . → Read More: Broken Bones & Injury: Treatment & Rehabilitation by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Comprehensive discussions of joint replacement surgeries for the different parts of the body that may have been fractured. >>View Info by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. >>View Info by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission >>View Info by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NIH, Department of Health & Human Resources. >>View Info by National Institutes of Health, Osteoporosis and Bone Related Diseases, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. >>View Info by Mayo Clinic, MayoClinic.com. >>View Info by the National Institutes of Health, Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases. >>View Info by Robert McCoppin, The Daily Herald, Health, March 31, 2008. >>View Info by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. >>View Info by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. A good discussion of the extent of the problem, why falls occur in nursing homes, and what we can do to prevent them. >>View . . . → Read More: Falls in Nursing Homes Osteoporosis, a loss of bone mass that comes with aging, makes the bones brittle and subject to easy fracture through falls or even without falls. An important part of preventing injury of older persons through falls is to diagnose . . . → Read More: See Arthritis, Osteoporosis & Related Rheumatic Conditions by Cedars-Sinai Health System. A good discussion of the symptoms (or lack thereof), diagnosis, causes, risk factors, treatment and prevention of osteoporosis. Good bone health is a key part of avoiding falls and fractures. >>View Info by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Discusses the diagnostic tests used to test for osteoporosis. >>View Info by the American Physical Therapy Association. Understand whether you have a balance or posture problem, and learn about exercises to help correct it. >>View Info by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Describes the diagnostic imaging techniques used to give doctors a picture of the patient’s bones, organs, muscles, tendons, nerves, and cartilage, in order to determine if there are any abnormalities, after a . . . → Read More: X-rays, CT Scans and MRIs National Women’s Health Resource Center, healthywomen.org. From HealthDay, September 8, 2008. Study suggests that lack of sleep is a predictor of falls. >>View Info American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Discusses types of diagnostic testing which should be done to discover injuries to nerves and muscles, if the patient has pain, weakness or numbness in his or her back, neck or hands. >>View . . . → Read More: Electrodiagnostic Testing by the National Institutes of Health – Senior Health. Causes and prevention, symptoms and diagnosis, treatment and research, frequently asked questions, and links to additional resources. >>View Info by the American Geriatric Society, Foundation for Health in Aging. Information on causes, evaluation, and treatment of walking problems. Early diagnosis and treatment of walking problems are important to prevent falls. >>View Info Washington Post, July 19, 2008. Cites study by American Geriatric Society, finding that falls are a leading cause of serious injury and death among the elderly, and most of those falls occur in the home. Includes suggestions for making . . . → Read More: Falls Are Top Cause of Injury, Death Among Elderly by the National Institutes of Health – Senior Health. Includes discussions about falls, causes and risk factors, preventing falls and fractures, advice if you fall, frequently asked questions, and links to further resources. >>View Info by MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Extensive information and links to more information and resources. >>View Info by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. >>View Info Age Page by National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health. Discusses physical changes associated with aging that can make falls more likely, consequences of falls (which may be aggravated by osteoporosis), and steps to take to decrease the . . . → Read More: Falls and Fractures by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One in three adults age 65 or older falls each year. “Of those who fall, 20% to 30% suffer moderate to severe injuries that make it hard for them to get . . . → Read More: Costs of Falls Among Older Adults by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Reports that falls are the leading cause of injury to older adults, with over 11 million people falling each year at a treatment cost to the U.S. of $20.2 Billion annually. The . . . → Read More: Don’t Let a Fall be Your Last Trip: Who is At risk? by Robin Adams, The Ledger.com, March 24, 2008. >>View Info Washington Post, June 24, 2008. “As people age, their risk of falling increases due to a number of factors such as mobility problems due to muscle weakness or poor balance, loss of sensation in feet, chronic health problems, vision . . . → Read More: Senior Falls Can Lead to Brain Injury Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2008 Aug;89(8):1522-7. Abstract of scientific study, finding that “subcortical vascular lesions” (lesions in a part of the brain associated with vascular dementia) in patients with gait disorder, 12 months after discharge from a rehabilitation facility, . . . → Read More: Subcortical vascular lesions predict falls at 12 months in elderly patients discharged from a rehabilitation ward by American Geriatrics Society’s Foundation for Health in Aging. Tips for the caregiver on understanding the problem, when to get professional help, what you can do to help, carrying out and adjusting your plan, and checking on progress. >>View . . . → Read More: Elder Care At Home, Chapter 9: Hearing Problems, Aging in the Know Tips for the caregiver on how to deal with the elderly who suffer from loss of hearing or loss of sight. Ten tips for dealing with blind, hard of hearing, or disoriented persons. >>View Info discussion by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, including nature, symptoms, causes, treatments, and tips for the caregiver in helpful ways to interact with an . . . → Read More: Presbycusis (age-related hearing loss) National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. This information on the many forms of available captions to help a television viewer who is hard of hearing may . . . → Read More: Captions For Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Viewers by the American Academy of Audiology. Includes general tips, tips for a social gathering at your home, tips for visiting a restaurant, and tips for a meeting. >>View Info Federal Communications Commission. Before you contemplate purchasing a wireless telephone or cell phone for your elderly loved one, you should read this information. Wireless phones may cause interference and background noise with a hearing aid. Read and understand the . . . → Read More: Hearing Aid Compatibility for Wireless Telephones – FCC Consumer Facts a 6 page pamphlet by the American Speech – Language – Hearing Association. Important for caregivers of the elderly to consider insurance coverage issues in connection with consulting your doctor. >>View Info by Jiska Cohen-Mansfield, Ph.D., Geriatric Times, May-June, 2001. This excellent article on caregiving for dementia patients includes the observation that, “The effect of hearing aids has been demonstrated in two studies in which fitting patients with hearing devices resulted . . . → Read More: Managing Agitation in Elderly Patients With Dementia U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Discusses symptoms of hearing loss and the various types of hearing aids available. (Written in both English and Spanish). >>View Info National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Frequently asked questions and answers on hearing aids. >>View Info Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center at Gallaudet University. Excellent catalogue and description of the different devices available to help those with hearing loss, including not only hearing aids and personal listening devices, but also telephone aides, television and . . . → Read More: Communication and Alerting Devices for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People: What’s Available Now American Speech – Language – Hearing Association. Discussion of the most common myths and facts associated with hearing aids. Educate yourself about hearing aids. >>View Info American Speech – Language – Hearing Association. Discussion of the different digital technologies now used in hearing aids, and their benefits. >>View Info American Speech – Language – Hearing Association. Discussion of the available technology and devices to use with or without hearing aids to further assist hearing and communication, by helping to overcome the negative effects of distance, background noise, or poor . . . → Read More: Assistive Technology; What are Assistive Listening Devices? Link provided by MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine, NIH, to a video and instructional session about “Baha: Bone Anchored Hearing Treatment Procedure.” This is a surgical procedure conducted by Hartford Hospital, implanting a hearing device to restore hearing. >>View . . . → Read More: Bone Anchored Hearing Treatment Procedure National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Provides detailed information about this surgically implanted electronic device that provides sound to people with severe hearing loss. Studies have . . . → Read More: Cochlear Implants American Speech – Language – Hearing Association. Explains the aural/audiologic rehabilitation services available to help a person adjust to his or her hearing loss, including education and counseling on making the best use of hearing aids, exploring assistive devices . . . → Read More: Adult Aural/Audiologic Rehabilitation Federal Communications Commission. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted use of the 711 dialing code for access to Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS). TRS permits persons with a hearing or speech disability to use the telephone system via a . . . → Read More: Dial 711 For Telecommunications Relay Service – FCC Consumer Facts by National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Exposure to noise that is too loud can cause permanent hearing loss. Noise-induced hearing loss is 100% preventable by . . . → Read More: Noise-induced Hearing Loss Fact Sheet pamphlet by National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health. Gives examples of decibel levels of various noises and explains how much exposure at each level can cause permanent hearing loss. >>View Info American Academy of Otolaryngology. Buildup of excessive earwax is one of the most common causes of loss of hearing. This website page explains why the body produces earwax, the recommended methods of cleaning, why cotton swabs should not be . . . → Read More: Earwax – Insight into the Proper Care of Ears Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health. Discussion of types of earplugs and ear muffs available for those who might be exposed to loud noises. >>View Info American Speech – Language – Hearing Association. More than 30% of people over 65 have some type or hearing loss. Adult hearing screening programs are considered voluntary, but it is recommended that adults be screened at least every decade . . . → Read More: Hearing Screening by the U. S. Fire Administration (USFA), a part of the U. S. Department of Homeland Security. Provides safety tips on planning in advance to prevent danger to those with hearing loss in the event of a fire emergency. . . . → Read More: Fire Safe and Sound — A Fire Safety Factsheet for the Deaf or Hard of Hearing National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Clearinghouse. Diagnostic tool with ten questions and a guideline to help you recognize symptoms of hearing loss and when to see a doctor. >>View Info FamilyDoctor.org. A flow chart of various hearing loss symptoms, pointing to their corresponding diagnosis and recommended actions for self-care of seeing one’s doctor. >>View Info American Academy of Audiology. >>View Info from the Journal of the American Medical Association. A fact sheet about audiometry, the diagnostic technique by audiologists in the diagnosis of hearing loss. >>View Info American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Includes detailed information on the diagnostic process for assessing hearing and its components. >>View Info Journal of Family Practice. Report of a study funded in part by the National Institutes of Health, recommending screening of the elderly for hearing loss, and discussing diagnostic metrics used to measure hearing loss. Includes a discussion of what . . . → Read More: Screening for handicapping hearing loss in the elderly by the American Academy of Audiology. An explanation with diagrams to help you understand the audiogram, a diagnostic tool measuring hearing. >>View Info website of the American Speech – Language – Hearing Association. Explains the purpose and methods of hearing assessment, how to interpret an audiogram and other measures, and facts about balance assessment. >>View Info a tutorial on hearing loss by the National Institutes of Health, Senior Health. Defines hearing loss, which is one of the most common conditions facing older adults, and discusses the causes and prevention, symptoms and diagnosis, treatment and research, . . . → Read More: Hearing Loss, NIH Senior Health MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Good overview and links to information about hearing disorders and deafness, and the nature, causes, effects, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of these problems. . . . → Read More: Hearing Disorders and Deafness MedlinePlus Patient Education, interactive tutorial about hearing loss, from the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. >>View Info National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. A short diagnostic tool to determine whether an elder may have hearing loss, combined with practical information on the causes . . . → Read More: Hearing Loss and Older Adults National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health. >>View Info a 96 page detailed bibliography and resource list of publications on hearing disorders, treatments, and hearing loss prevention, by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health. >>View Info National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. “Presbycusis is the loss of hearing that gradually occurs in most individuals as they grow older. Hearing loss is a . . . → Read More: Presbycusis Statistics from the American Speech – Language – Hearing Association. >>View Info American Academy of Otolaryngology. Provides information on several different medical causes of ear problems. >>View Info U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Information on the causes, symptoms and treatments for age-related hearing loss, as well as preventive advice on how to lessen the severity of age-related hearing loss by protecting against exposure to excessive loud noises . . . → Read More: Sound Advice About Age-Related Hearing Loss Journal of the American Medical Association. Introduction to the types of hearing loss, and references to other resources. Reports that, “Approximately 25% to 40% of adults older than 65 years have some degree of hearing loss, and it is . . . → Read More: Adult Hearing Loss report of a scientific study on pubmedcentral.nih.gov. Reports that hearing loss sufficient to impair communication is estimated to affect 25% to 60% of people over 65 years of age. In this study of older patients in a family practice, . . . → Read More: Hearing Loss in Elderly Patients in a Family Practice a website of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Includes a catalogue of diseases and conditions that may be associated with or cause hearing loss, . . . → Read More: Hearing, Ear Infections and Deafness MayoClinic.com. An overview of the definitions, symptoms, causes, risk factors, tests and diagnosis and treatments of hearing loss. >>View Info Website dedicated to providing information, education, advocacy and support for people with hearing loss. Includes books, educational courses, and other resources. >>View Info American Speech – Language – Hearing Association. Discussion of the anatomy of the ear and how the mechanisms of human hearing and balance work. >>View Info National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging. Tutorial on balance problems, their causes and prevention, symptoms and diagnosis, and treatments. >> View Info |
Ms. Barnhart is the Founder and Managing Member of Care-Help LLC, Publisher of HelpingYouCare®
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